


first trial

by simplecaelum



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Blades of Marmora, Emotional Hurt, Friends to Lovers, Gay, Kissing, M/M, Mention of Adam - Freeform, Pining, Pining Keith (Voltron), SHEITH - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-18 06:57:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15480117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/simplecaelum/pseuds/simplecaelum
Summary: Keith’s first training with the Blade of Marmora isn’t what he expected, nor are the consequences.





	first trial

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [uuughhh another sketch u kno i ait got time for this](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/401343) by art-neechan. 



> A gift for @sheith.hon because I love their Instagram and it brings me joy, so why not return that joy?
> 
> This turned out a lot longer than I expected, but I love it so it was worth it.
> 
> Thank you to my amazing girlfriend for editing this for me and adding her own... flair to the story.
> 
> The * is where her alternate ending takes place.

“You know you didn’t have to come with me,” Keith said, turning off the communication link between the red lion and the castle.

“It’s your first day of training, Keith. I want to make sure you’ll be okay,” Shiro replied, giving him a smile.

“I’ll be fine, I can handle myself,” Keith insisted. He did his best to sound annoyed, though he couldn’t help the small blush that dusted his cheeks.

“I know that as well as anyone, but the red lion attacked the base last time, there’s no telling if she’ll be quicker to attack this time. This training is going to test you physically and mentally, possibly more than training to form Voltron did,” Shiro continued, resting his hand on Keith’s shoulder as he piloted the red lion on the path to the Marmora’s base.

They continued on in silence, Shiro’s words not lost on Keith. He had to be prepared this time, not simply relying just on persistence. After the trials, Kolivan had drilled it into Keith that not everything was about fighting through countless enemies and he had to think critically, rather than just constantly attacking.

It was going to be a change for Keith. He was so used to his body taking over, letting the movements coming second nature to him.

Patience yields focus.

Shiro’s words echoed in his mind and he nodded to himself. He could do this.

Keith landed the red lion before standing up and joining Shiro to go meet the Blades. Kolivan greeted them briefly, never one to waste time.

“Your suit is waiting. Once you put it on, follow the same path as before. Shiro will come with us.”

Keith nodded, glancing up at Shiro for a moment. Only getting a nod in return, he took a breath and went to change. To most the gesture would mean nothing, but Keith knew Shiro well enough.

Go, he had said. You can do this.

Keith changed quickly and did as Kolivan said. There were two guards outside the door, and one pressed a button once he saw Keith. The door slid open and Keith paused before going inside.

“Your first session will be mental,” the guard on the right instructed. Keith nodded and stepped inside, the door sliding shut behind him.

…

Shiro had watched Keith train off and on, easily passing the physical training sessions. The mental training sessions were a different matter. Keith passed most of them, though not without some difficulty. For some sessions, Shiro was kept in the dark, told that some training he was restricted from observing.

Now, he was allowed to watch from above through the one way glass. He watched as Keith made his way through a maze of cameras that were meant to test his stealth. Impressed with how far Keith had come, Shiro momentarily wondered how he had gotten so good at this. His thoughts flickered back to the Garrison, where more than once he had been making rounds and caught Keith in the flight simulator after hours. A small flash of annoyance crossed his face. Right, that was how.

Keith paused in the simulation, gauging the camera’s positions. He only had a small distance left to get to the target point. The two cameras on opposite sides of the hall swiveled opposite of eachother, so there seemed to be no way through without being seen. Shiro saw him take a deep breath and mouth something to himself.

After a moment, Keith darted forward when the cameras were just starting a scan. It was a risky move to say the least, but the cameras were pointed down, leaving a blind spot not many would have seen. Keith landed, tucked, and rolled forward, easily coming out of the roll into a run. He was almost to the target point when alarms started blaring and the simulator shut down.

Shiro looked down at the screen that displayed the camera view and saw the back of Keith’s foot in the replay.

“Training failed,” a Blade’s voice called over the speaker. “Last.”

Shiro saw frustration on Keith’s face, but besides that Keith held his composure. Part of the training was self awareness and correction, so they never told someone in training where they had messed up.

Keith looked up at the last word, used to hearing “next”. He had one more chance today.

The walls in the room retracted the cameras and Shiro saw them shift to alter the layout of the halls.

...

Keith heard the walls change once more, as they did after most sessions. It only took a few ticks, and then everything was quiet. The speakers came on again to say “Training begin.”

Keith bit his lip, unsure of what the objective was. It was usually specified. He had to assume this was a combination of everything he had done today.

His feet shifted as he readied his stance, unsure of what was coming. Before he could try and guess what the task was, a scream ripped through the air.

Keith’s blood turned cold, his feet taking him forward before he could begin to think.

“Shiro…” his eyes darted around the halls as he ran, searching for the source of the scream. 

“Keith!” Shiro yelled, voice pained and desperate. Said paladin skidded to a stop, almost tripping over his feet. The sound had come from behind him, but Keith had already checked all those hallways.

They’re toying with you. This is a test.

Keith stopped to catch his breath, eyes wide behind the mask.

It’s not him, you need to focus, he reminded himself.

Another scream of pain from the same direction.

“Sh-”

Keith caught himself. He couldn’t call out without blowing his cover. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to focus. Starting forward again, this time he’d be more careful, more planned. It was difficult when what lied ahead was a totally mystery. The only thing he could register was that he had to save Shiro.

He rounded a corner and gripped his bayard tighter, Shiro’s voice getting louder. Wait-

Keith looked down at his hand, seeing the bayard shift into his sword. When had he gotten it? He noticed he was wearing his regular clothes too, save for his jacket. It was almost as if he had been going to train back at the castle. He shook his head, deciding not to worry about it now. He had a weapon, that was all he needed to know.

As Keith rounded the next corner, he came to a stop, seeing something up ahead - or rather, someone.

“Never let your guard down,” he heard from his right, just before a knife was swung at his head.

The red paladin whipped his head toward the voice and did his best to dodge and attack, but just before his sword connected with his target, he felt the knife split his forehead.

He followed through with his attack before a foot to his stomach sent him stumbling backwards into the wall, knocking the breath out of him. He gasped for air, knowing he had to get back up - fast.

“Keith!” he heard Shiro call again. “We have to leave, we have to-” he cut himself off with another scream of pain.

“Shiro!” Keith called back, desperate and still regaining his breath. His cover was already blown, there was no use hiding anymore.

He looked up to his attacker and saw the barrel of a blaster aimed at him.

“Stand down,” the person commanded, and Keith noticed they looked like a Galran soldier, but with a difference he couldn’t quite place.

“Never,” he choked out, feeling blood from the cut make its way down his face.

“Then you will suffer, just as he is,” the soldier responded.

Before the Galran could pull the trigger, Keith pushed himself forward and to the side, narrowly avoiding the blast. He brought his sword instinctively forward and through the torso of his attacker.

The soldier grunted and Keith rolled to the side, pulling out his sword and letting the body fall forward. Keith barely spared him a second glance before getting up and continuing down the hall.

The figure facing away from him at the end of the hall was still there, the build and height only matching one person.

“Shiro!” Keith called, silently begging the black paladin to turn around and show Keith he was fine.

Keith slowed his pace as he drew near, not sure why Shiro wasn’t responding. “Shiro..?” he asked, more hesitantly this time.

Shiro swayed slightly before falling backwards. Keith rushed to catch him, but only succeeded in getting knocked down in the process.

He landed on his ass, Shiro’s upper body draped across his lap. His friend’s head rested against his chest, and Keith could see his eyes were closed, blood coming from his nose and mouth.

“Shiro,” he whispered, trying to hide the way he knew his voice would crack. “Shiro, wake up.”

No response.

Keith gripped the front of Shiro’s vest, only now realizing he was wearing the clothes Keith had given him back at the shack. He held his hand in place, hoping to feel the rise and fall of Shiro’s chest. After a moment, he felt it, but just barely. A wave of relief flooded over him and he pressed a small kiss against the top of Shiro’s head, his eyes shutting to stop him from tearing up. He couldn’t cry, not right now.

“Stay alive, dammit. I’m gonna get us out of here,” he promised.

Footsteps drew his attention and he looked up, instantly putting his sword out in front of him, ready to attack. He knew deep down he was in no way able to fight, not while holding Shiro in his lap. There was no way to get out from under him without giving the new Galra an advantage.

He could feel the fatigue of training all day setting into his body. He had hardly taken a break, but now that he was on the ground with a brief moment to rest, his muscles started to ache. Holding his sword up was growing more difficult by the second and he could feel his arm tremble.

Keith gripped the front of Shiro’s vest tighter, determination coursing through his veins once more. He couldn’t give up on Shiro, he had to save him.

“Don’t you fucking touch him,” Keith growled lowly.

...

Shiro looked down at the scene, eyes wide in disbelief.

Keith had kissed the top of his head. There was no mistaking it, not when other camera angles were pulled up on the screen.

“You mean a great deal to him,” Kolivan spoke, voice level as always.

Shiro couldn’t pull his eyes off of the scene below, but his cheeks darkened. Since when had Keith felt that way toward him? Shiro had always known he liked Keith, but had never allowed himself to think about those feelings, let alone act on them. At the Garrison he was with Adam, but then Adam had ended things and Shiro had left for Kerberos. The next thing he knew there was a war.

“This exercise is meant to draw out a person’s greatest fear and use it against them. For your… friend, it appears his greatest fear is not being able to save you.” Shiro wasn’t sure why Kolivan was explaining, but he appreciated it. “It’s structured as if Keith were in a trance inside his own head, but in reality.

“Like a nightmare?” Shiro questioned, finally looking over to Kolivan.

“In a way, yes. Reality shifts based on Keith’s mind.”

Shiro nodded and looked back to the scene.

Below, the Galran soldier lifted the blaster and aimed it Shiro’s chest, ready to fire. Before the blast went off, Keith spun their bodies around, putting himself in between the blast and Shiro.

Well, the fake Shiro, the black paladin reminded himself.

Keith swung his sword around his body in what Shiro assumed was meant to knock the blaster out of the Galran’s hand, but Keith wasn’t close enough.

“Shiro…” he heard over the speakers. Keith’s voice was strained. Shiro knew this was the breaking point.

“I’m sorry.” His voice was a cracked whisper, but the speakers broadcasted the sound loud and clear.

“Take him out of it. Now-” Shiro started, but then he saw Keith’s body go limp, probably from exhaustion.

The Galran soldier never fired, instead disappearing with the Shiro underneath Keith, leaving Keith resting on the ground.

The doors slid open behind him, and just like before, Shiro bolted through them, making his way down to Keith. He slowed his pace only slightly when he realized that this time the base was not shaking, meaning the red lion didn’t think Keith wasn’t in that bad of shape.

Still, he wanted to be next to Keith, supporting him. A feeling surged in his chest that he didn’t think he’d feel again after Adam. Shiro walked into the training room, other members of the Blade already sitting Keith up and waking him.

The black paladin breathed a sigh of relief when Keith’s eyes began to flutter open, and he sat down in front of him.

“Hey, you okay?” he started, his worried expression softening.

The fog slowly cleared from Keith’s mind and he look at Shiro, confused. “You’re asking me if I’m… you were the one…” he trailed off and before Shiro could explain, Kolivan spoke from behind him.

“Merely a simulation. The real Shiro was viewing from above along with me. I apologize for not giving a clear goal, but I concede there was not one. Rather, the simulation was to gain a better understanding of what unnerves you.”

Keith’s eyes flickered to Kolivan’s. “A simulation,” he confirmed. It had seemed so real at the time. He had been on a Galran ship, fighting. Shiro had been there-

Shiro.

Keith had thought that was the real Shiro, unconsious, and he had… slipped.

The reality hit Keith like the kick to his chest had earlier. Keith had slipped up and kissed Shiro. And Shiro - not being unconscious as Keith had thought - had seen. It had been a small kiss on the head, but a kiss nonetheless.

Keith dropped his eyes with a soft, “oh.”

“You two should head back soon. We cannot keep the path open much longer. Rest and return tomorrow,” Kolivan instructed, unaware of Keith’s internal panic.

Said paladin dared to look back up at Shiro, seeing his hand held out. Swallowing his pride, he took it and was pulled to his feet.

Most of the other Blades had dispersed, leaving the two alone.

Keith rubbed his shoulder nervously. “Shiro,” he whispered, not sure what to say.

“Later, Keith,” Shiro replied, giving Keith a small smile that he couldn’t figure out. Keith only nodded, wondering what he was thinking. How could could he have been so stupid?

The ride back was silent, much to Keith’s dismay. He wished Shiro would reprimand him and get it over with.

He landed the red lion in its hangar and stood up. He hated waiting, patience not one of his strengths. He felt the familiar warmth of the lion spread through him, accompanied by the bubbling, which he took as a sign of agreement as well as comfort.

Relax, paladin. All is well.

Easy for red to say…

The bubbling intensified for a moment, almost as if red were laughing.

“You okay?” Shiro asked. “You look annoyed.”

Keith tried to wipe the look from his face, not wanting to explain his silent exchange with the lion. “It’s nothing,” he brushed off, shaking his head.

“Keith…” Shiro started, almost unsure of what to say.

“It’s fine,” the red paladin promised.

“We need to talk,” Shiro began again, gaining a bit more confidence.

Keith looked away, not wanting to have this conversation. There was a reason he had hidden his feelings for so long. Back at the Garrison Shiro had Adam, and Keith was just a cadet. Then Shiro went missing and when he came back there was an intergalactic war to consider. Romance had to be put on the back burner. Keith was also sure Shiro would deny him since he was the leader of Voltron and it could affect the team.

“I know, Shiro. You don’t feel that way about me, it’s wrong. You’re the leader of Voltron, it could affect the team. I don’t need a lecture, it won’t get in the way. It hasn’t this far,” he bit, voice getting lower at the last sentence.

There was silence for a minute, and Keith kept his eyes trained on the ground, not daring to look up.

“How long have you felt this way?”

“Does it matter?”

Keith brought his eyes up to meet Shiro’s intense gaze.

“Since the Garrison,” Keith finally replied, cracking.

The two stood there, watching each other. Keith could see numerous emotions cross Shiro’s face but couldn’t place any of them.*

“Everyone’s probably waiting on us,” Keith muttered, breaking the silence. He started toward the door, but Shiro stepped in his path.

Shiro’s voice was stern and commanding when he spoke. “Keith.”

He couldn’t help but look up at the black paladin again, feeling his chest tighten.

“Who said I don’t feel that way about you?”

Shiro stepped forward, closing the distance between them. They were close, too close. He was leaning in, and Keith didn’t dare move. He felt Shiro’s breath against his lips and he couldn’t register anything else but the scent of fresh laundry engulfing him. How did Shiro smell like that after so long in space?

As a hand came up to rest on his jaw, any trace of doubt that this was Keith’s imagination was erased. Soft lips pressed against his own and his eyes slipped shut, kissing Shiro back. An arm looped around Keith’s waist and pulled their bodies flush against each other as Shiro’s thumb stroked Keith’s cheek. He deepened the kiss, not being able to get enough after wanting this for so long.

Keith felt Shiro start to pull away and would have followed if not for the hand on his jaw keeping him in place.

“We’ll make it work, if you want this,” Shiro started, making sure to keep Keith close.

Keith’s breath caught in his throat. “Do you? Want this, I mean.”

Shiro nodded before he found his voice. “I do.”

They would have a lot to talk about, to figure out. Things would be complicated, as they often were during a space war. 

Shiro kissed the top of Keith’s head before taking a small step back. “We should get to dinner. The team’s probably waiting on us to start.”

Keith nodded, a light blush on his cheeks as he was reminded of the mistake that got him into this situation. “Doubt it, they’re probably halfway done already.”

**Author's Note:**

> My lovely girlfriend helped me out when I had writers block by grabbing my laptop and typed out this amazing art <3
> 
> \---EXPLICIT WARNING/*Alternate Ending---
> 
> And then keitho reached into shiros pants and grabbed his giat, throbbing, gay cock. Shiro came INSTANTLY and the cum went everywhere. Keith looked up with a lil smirk on his face and pulled down his pants too. He looked deeply into shiros eyes and came too.the end


End file.
